EXP the Curse of the Black Moon
by crookedsmile
Summary: It is an experimental fic. Something that sprang out of my weird imagination. Will the dead be brought back to life?
1. The Black Curtain

**I've never written anything like this before so this one's a challenge. Enjoy reading if you can…**

**Note: I used GSD characters to facilitate character recognition.**..

"Burn that bitch!"

The town was filled with anxiety, that night of the second full moon. The villagers were gathered at the assembly area, watching the persecution of a branded witch.

"Burn that bitch and send her to hell!" People shouted at the two men in charge of guarding the convict.

People were scrambling forward to look at the convict's face. Some whispered curses on her ear, the others spat on her face. Some found the opportunity to grab her hair and hit her knees.

"Silence everyone!" the chief shouted.

"We will bring death to this creature, yes we will. But your actions could bring the punishment to haste! Be calm my people, for this is the night that this forsaken child would pay for her transgressions. The last of her clan!"

People rejoiced upon hearing this. Though the chief's words were clear, it wasn't fully understood. Fragments of rock and rotten vegetables came flying around, hitting the girl of the face. Blood starts to flow from her temple.

"Who do you plan to call now?" one of the spectators jeered.

"Call your god and save yourself!" said the other.

The lady was tied with ropes, and pieces of straw and wood were placed beneath her. The torch was lit and the town priest approached her.

"Please, you could still save your soul if you ask forgiveness. These fires are inevitable, but salvation could still be yours."

The girl whispered her response.

"I will burn priest, but I will come back. And each one of the faces that I see will receive my vengeance."

"Please my child," the priest said worriedly. "Don't come back, for you will experience an eternity of pain."

"You will be spared," the girl replied.

Flame starts to flicker on the side of her dress. The priest retreated.

"I will come back. You and your sons… and the sons of their sons will pay for this!" She laughed while the smoke engulfed her being. She was burned to ashes. Nothing left.

**Chapter one: The Black Curtain**

"Good morning ma'am, sir! We have a new product called the ' one-touch food processor'. You could chop, mince, slice or even make sushi in an instant using our product."

She was standing in front of the grocery store, and no one bothered to stop and listen.

Most of the shoppers weren't interested in food processors or anything unnecessary for that matter, because of the financial depression. That time of year, the sales for kitchenware and other appliances were at their lowest.

"If you buy this product now, we will give you a 40 discount plus a set of these fine kitchen knives. Along with this product is an instructional manual and a cookbook for your convenience." Her jaw began to twitch from hours of useless talk and fake smiles.

"Just stop it lady. No one's buying your product," the security officer said.

"Well if I stop talking as you say, then who's paying for my apartment bills and my food expenses?" she sarcastically said.

The security officer read her nameplate.

"Miss uhh…Miriallia, I was just being concerned that's all."

The girl read the officer's name too and answered.

"Well Mr. La Flaga, thanks for your concern, but I need to sell these or the store owner would kill me."

"I couldn't help you miss. I'm having troubles with my work too. Double shifts with no overtime pay…"

"I guess everyone's belts were tied up."

One of the shoppers must have noticed the girl and approached her.

"Yes ma'am would you like you take a look at our product?"

"You… be careful child," the woman said to her.

A cold breeze sent shivers to Miriallia.

"Is there something wrong ma'am?"

The woman was wearing a drab dress exposing only her hands and boots. She had a scarf tied around her neck and a sign on her forehead.

**An inverted V.**

"She will come back. You will hear her cry soon."

Miriallia couldn't understand what this woman had meant. But it did give her an odd feeling.

The woman left after saying these words, leaving Mir speechless.

"What did she say?" officer La Flaga asked.

Miriallia shook her head.

"Nothing sir."

The silhouette of the woman faded among the faces of strangers. The cold feeling had disappeared soon after.

"I'm home."

Miriallia opened the door of her shabby apartment. Her brother was there lying on the bed. It's been two days and his fever hasn't gone down.

"How are you Shinn? You feeling better?"

He sat up and coughed twice.

"I think… I'm dying."

"Don't say that! I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow. I haven't sold anything today, but I'll try to borrow cash from Mr. Djibril. I know he'll spare me some."

"Don't. You're already paying for everything. I'm such a burden." Shinn once more coughed and this time, streaks of blood were on his palm.

"Oh no. Please stay here. I'll get some help."

Miriallia rushed towards their neighbor, the Yamatos.

She saw her childhood friend Kira standing on the doorway.

"Kira, oh please help me!" She was on the verge of crying.

"What happened?"

"It's Shinn. He coughed some blood and he's fever…"

Kira immediately called his housemate Dearka.

"Hey, we have an emergency. Prepare the car."

"Why, something happened?"

"Mir's brother. We'll go to the hospital."

"Okay," Dearka answered. He hurriedly went to the garage while Mir took Kira towards their house.

"Shinn, Kira's here. We'll take you to the hospital," Mir said as she opened the door.

But her brother wasn't there. The bed was empty. Pieces of broken glass were on the floor. The curtains were flying as the strong wind rushes in. The window was open.

"Shinn?" Mir searched around for her brother. Kira followed her.

She searched around the house. No trace of Shinn.

"Oh my god what's happening," Mir cried. She was already in the state of panic. Not long after, Dearka stormed inside.

"I thought we we're to take Shinn to the hospital?"

"He's gone," Kira answered.

"What do you mean gone?"

Mir collapsed on the nearby chair. Her head was reeling from everything that was happening.

"Where is he…"

A neighbor suddenly appeared on the doorway, with her expression unreadable.

"Miriallia! Your brother…"

"What?" the three answered in unison.

She found him lying on the street. Dead.

"Shinn! Please god, don't do this!" She held his lifeless body in her arms. People began to crowd around the area.

"He jumped off the roof," one of the bystanders said.

"No. No. He wouldn't do such a thing! You bastard!" Miriallia shouted.

Kira held her as she scrambles over the man who said those words.

Her brother committed suicide.

"No, no…" she was crying helplessly.

Policemen came and carried the dead body with them.

"Ma'am, we will take his body and do some autopsy."

Mir's face was white. Her mind felt numb. It was just moments ago when her brother was still alive, talking to her. Now, his corpse was lying on her feet.

"No. He didn't kill himself!" she shouted at the policemen.

The police officer advised Kira to take care of Mir while the autopsy is being done.

"Mir, let's go back to the house," Kira pleaded as he held her shoulder.

"Dearka, call Cagalli please. Tell her to come home early," Kira instructed.

"Okay."

Her brother was her only family. Their mother died when she was three, while her father had another family and left the two of them. Shinn was a year younger than her. He was the weaker one, as people say. He grew up with a feeble body and a gentle spirit. He was diagnosed to have bronchitis when he was still five. Not long after his sixteenth birthday, he was found out to have tuberculosis. Miriallia wanted him to be in a special health institution to facilitate his recovery but she couldn't afford the expenses. She saves almost half of her monthly salary just to finance her brother's medicines and to provide for his basic needs.

She wasn't prepared for what he did. And she refused to believe that he was capable of doing it.

"Mir…" Cagalli slowly entered Mir's home.

"They say Shinn's body will be here any moment."

Mir was sitting alone staring at the gray sky.

Cagalli was Kira's sister and both of them were Mir's close friends. She received a call from Dearka, and learned about what happened to Shinn.

Shinn was also Cagalli's friend. He had confessed to her about his feelings, a year ago. But she wasn't feeling the same.

"He didn't kill himself Cagalli. I know it."

"Mir, you have to let him go. He's already in peace now." Cagalli stroke her friend's back, soothing the pain that was almost unbearable.

"He wouldn't leave me Cagalli. He wouldn't," Mir sobbed.

" You have to accept it Mir. Pull yourself together. Look at me." Cagalli cupped Mir's face.

"He will be here soon. He doesn't want to see you like this." She brushes away her friend's tears.

"Mir… he's here," Kira said behind the two girls.

He was laid on a simple coffin. A white one. Guests started to arrive one by one until her small house was filled with people giving condolences and donations.

She was sitting on the chair beside the coffin while Kira and Dearka receive the guests, and Cagalli prepared some simple snack.

She looked at her brother's pale features beneath the glass. He looked so young and fragile. Tears well up on her eyes as she ran her fingers through the glass barrier.

"Sister…" 

A voice has spoken. It was as cold as the wind. She paused and listened.

"Sister…" 

"Shinn?" She mumbled. She didn't know where the voice came from, but she was sure.

It was Shinn's.

"Help me…" 

She looked at her dead brother's face. Nothing has changed. Her eyes then riveted on the window.

Shinn was there, reaching out to her.

"Shinn!" She shouted as she scrambled among the guests, chasing after her brother.

She ran towards the window.

"Don't leave me sister…" 

She was gasping for air as she watched his image as it faded. She was able to see him being carried away… by a woman.

"No don't take him!" she shouted.

She ran towards the fading vision, but it was too fast that she couldn't keep up.

"_I'll take him with me…"_ the lady said to Mir.

"No!"

"_His spirit will wander with me. He will not go to heaven, or to hell."_

"Mir!" Kira grabbed Mir's waist and pulled her from the edge of the window. She could have fallen if he was a little late.

"Snap out of it Mir!"

A deep breath came out of her as she returned to her senses.

The other guests have left. Shinn's body was still there.

"What happened to you?" Dearka asked.

"You were pretty close to throwing yourself on that window. Are you trying to kill yourself too?" Kira said worriedly.

"It's Shinn. He didn't kill himself."

"Mir, just stop it. It must be diff …"

"I knew it! He didn't kill himself! Someone took him. I saw HER!"

Her eyes were filled with sorrow.

"Her?" asked Cagalli.

"I knew it. The woman… The woman who warned me earlier. She knew this would happen!"

"Mir calm down…"

"I will not calm down! My brother is dead and someone _killed_ him," she screamed at them.

"I will find that woman and I will bring Shinn back."

She left her seat and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Kira tried to stop her but her pulled him away.

"Do not bury his body yet. If I haven't returned after three days, then do so."

"Mir wait!"

She didn't look back and walked farther. She knew it. The lady that she saw took her brother away. And she will bring him back.

**There you go, the first chapter. I'd like to know how you feel about this so please review… just in case you wanted to.**


	2. A Basin of Water

She was staring on a basin of water, with a blank expression painted on her face.

"My child, you truly wish to die tonight?" It was the spirit of her mother that spoke.

"If they truly wish to kill me mother, I will allow them."

" Our family has suffered enough. You can still change your fate. Go with him."

"I will take revenge for you mother. And if I must die, I will."

The water on the basin turned hazy, as the sound of the villagers was getting closer.

" Please do not my child. Go, escape!"

She poured a handful of salt, and whispered a prayer. With her hands clasped together she sent out an eerie cry. The villagers heard it and it sent a state of panic for most of them.

"She's cursing us all! Burn her!" The women cried.

The men stormed inside her small house. They found her sitting on a chair, with a basin of water on the table. She was still praying when they arrived, with her eyes closed.

Two men rushed forward and grabbed her hair.

"Witch, tonight, you will die!"

She didn't squeal nor whimpered as they tried to drag her out of the chair. Her eyes were like granite orbs, devoid of life.

She was taken outside, scrutinized and punished by people. She continued to close her eyes and prayed.

"Lunamaria, the last of the cursed family… you will see your mother soon," one of the town leaders said.

She opened her eyes and gazed at him. A few seconds passed, and the man started choking. His eyes that were once brown, turned red, and blood started to escape form his nose, ears and mouth.

"She's killing the man!"

The guards dragged her away and people chased after her, leaving the poor man on his knees. It didn't take a while before he died.

**Chapter Two: A Basin of Water**

" I have to find that woman… I have to…" Miriallia whispered to herself while running along the dark path towards the highway.

She went to the grocery store where her booth was and searched for Mr. La Flaga.

She found him standing in front of the glass door.

"Mister!" she called out.

Mu La Flaga was on his sixteen- hour duty, the fifth for that month. He was beginning to feel sleepy when a girl's voice called his name. He searched around and saw Miriallia approaching. She was still wearing her uniform- a blue skirt and a white blouse.

"You're on duty again ma'am?" La Flaga asked.

"No… Please, do you know where the weird-looking woman had gone? She was wearing a long dress and boots and her head has a sign of an inverted V."

Mu thought for a while.

"Why are you asking? You can't possibly think of her as a potential customer."

"Please sir, I have no time for jokes," Mir pleaded.

"Wait a sec… Yeah I remember!" Mu exclaimed.

Mir was anxiously waiting for him to reveal what's on his head.

"She went towards that street." Mu pointed on the street across the grocery building.

"It's the place where the 'foreigners' live. Be careful out there," he warned.

"Thank you sir, I truly appreciate it," Mir said as she bowed in front of him.

"Why do you want to see her if she isn't buying your product?"

Mir thought of Shinn. Her eyes were watery once more.

"My… bother died you see. And that lady warned me about something. I need to see her."

"Oh, I'm sorry. My condolences to you miss."

"I have to go. Thank you."

With that, she ran away.

She had entered the street that Mr. La Flaga referred to. The place was quiet. She saw a few people talking to each other on a foreign tongue, with their eyes on her. They look hostile to her so she carefully observed with each step that she made. She didn't know where to find that lady but she had a strong feeling that she's being watched. She closed her eyes and prayed.

"You are looking for me," a voice from behind spoke.

Mir turned around and saw the lady. She was still wearing the same outfit, with the sign on her forehead.

She opened her mouth to speak, but the words didn't come out. She was trembling.

"Come with me," the woman instructed.

She followed her towards aisle. They walked past shabby houses and abandoned buildings. Wild birds seem to find refuge in this place. They cried a chilling sound, as if they're welcoming an unexpected guest. Miriallia's eyes were wide open. She didn't want to lose sight of the woman, who was walking very fast. The woman stopped in front of a wooden door, at the end of the aisle.

"Get inside," the woman instructed while looking around, and on the sky above them.

" Are we being followed?" Mir asked.

"Could be," the woman answered briefly.

Mir entered the house. It was like museum, with all antiquity inside it. Old pieces of chairs, tables and furniture displayed themselves in random arrangement. Books were found on each of the seven tables that she found. The curtain was dark gray in color, and candles illuminate the place. The scent of rosemary was everywhere.

"This is where I live," the woman said.

"May I know your name? Miriallia asked.

The woman removed the hood of her dress. Her odd-colored hair spilled out. Pink.

"I'm Lacus."

"I'm Miriallia."

"You came to see me. What happened?"

Miriallia took a deep breath.

"My brother died this afternoon. He jumped off … I mean, he killed himself."

The pink haired woman went to the nearby table and searched for something, while Mir continued her story.

"I saw my brother. A woman was taking him away. The woman said that my brother's soul would wander with her…"

"What did the woman look like?"

"I can't remember."

Lacus sighed. She found what she's been looking for… a piece of wooden ornament. It was a wooden carving of a lady, holding a skull on her right hand, and a torch on the left.

"_For it was the seventh Black moon that appeared in the heavens. Her spirit will come to life and take revenge on that bloody night. Ashes will become flesh, and her grief will transcend the depths of hell and heaven will not interfere."_

She said those phrases like she had known the words and memorized them by heart. Miriallia felt her skin as it lost blood.

"Who are you?"

The pink-haired lady gazed at her eyes.

"You are looking for her, as she was looking for you."

Miriallia stepped backwards. Fear suddenly enveloped her.

"Why are you saying this? Who are you?"

"I am not human, as you suspect." The lady slowly approached her.

"I have been living for more than three hundred years, searching for the time when you will be born."

"What does this has to do with me and my brother?" Mir was already on the state of panic.

"Do you want to see your brother?"

Mir caught her breath. Lacus was already standing an inch from her.

Her eyes were as clear as the sky, and the sign on her forehead seem to disappear. She looked like a transparent mirror, which sees everything even those that were hidden inside one's soul. Mir saw different people in this woman's eyes. She saw the places where this creature had gone to, as well as the different eras where she existed.

The question suddenly sank in. "Yes I want to see him," Mir answered.

Lacus went to the other table. On it was a basin of water. Lacus stood in front of it.

"Come here," she told Mir.

Mir stepped forward and looked at the same sight.

The water was clear, reflecting their faces under the amber-colored light.

Lacus opened a jar nearby. On her palm was a handful of salt. She sprinkled the salt on the water. Miriallia watched as the salt produced ripples in the water.

"Whatever happens, do not lose yourself," Lacus warned.

Mir looked closer as the water turned hazy. She saw Shinn standing amidst the blazing fires, but the flame weren't consuming him.

"_Sister…"_

"Shinn!" Mir shouted.

She was standing on the same field as he. But she feels the flames around her. It's too hot. She tried to reach him but she can't.

"_Look at me sister. I'm suffering."_

"No Shinn. Please, come back to me!"

_"I will go to hell soon, because I killed myself."_

"No. It's that woman! Who is she Shinn! Tell me…" Mir cried helplessly.

Shinn looked at him. His eyes were sorrowful.

"Shinn please tell me!"

"I will go to hell…" 

"Shinn!" Miriallia ran after him as his vision faded. She managed to embrace him just as he disappeared, but as soon as her skin felt his, a group f burning souls grabbed her feet from below. She was being carried under the billowing flames and she tried to get free but she couldn't.

The squeaking sound of the burning souls as they rejoice was deafening. Miriallia thought she would die there and go with them instantly when a pillar of light appeared before her. Descending from above was _a woman, or a man_- she wasn't sure about that, with a pair of wings and holding an arrow.

She was lifted from the burning flames, and the white light had swallowed her consciousness.

She released a deep breath as her head rose above the water.

Damp and exhausted, she pulled herself along the nearby chair and collapsed on it.

"Did you see your brother?" Lacus asked.

She nodded.

"You almost died," the former added.

"I saw a man, or a woman with wings. Like an angel."

"It was I that saved you," Lacus said with a smile.

"You're an… angel?"

"I was here for one mission. And it was you."

Mir was still catching her breath.

"Why me? And what about Shinn?"

"You will find out soon. Now, I want you to tell me what you saw."

"I saw him. He was wearing the same dress when he died. He told me that he was going to hell because he killed himself. But…"

"He's not in hell yet," Lacus reassured.

"Then where is he?"

"She took his soul away from the light. And soon, she'll come for you."

"How will I get my brother back? Please tell me!"

"I can't do anything, and I don't know."

"Then why are you here!" Mir shouted.

"I will not interfere with you and the forsaken creature. It is you who must face her," Lacus clarified.

Suddenly, the lights went out and the wind blew away the curtains. Mir stood and went closer to Lacus.

Lacus whispered a silent prayer.

"_Mehna armi de tive sayne."_

**Oh god protect us we beg you. **

"She is here…"

**I have been thinking of Lacus exhibiting an androgyny in her nature. I think it's cool! Read and REVIEW please :)**


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